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OK Motherfuckers Let’s Talk

The former PM weighs in days after a U.S. congresswoman pledged to help impeach POTUS. Photos of Trump and Kim Campbell

This isn’t going to take long because I don’t have all fucking day for this shit.

When a wealthy, respected person says motherfucker they are seen as bravely challenging the stereotype people have about them. When someone like me says motherfucker we are seen as confirming the stereotype people have about us.

That’s it. That’s my only point. That’s how it works. I didn’t write the rules. and fuck if I got a vote on them. Not here to shame anybody or tell anyone they can or can’t use the word. Not here to tell someone to feel guilty or not about their privilege. Why the fuck would I even want more people to know what it’s like to be judged twenty-four seven with everyone waiting to pounce on proof that you ain’t worth shit and are ignorant? Huh, I guess that’s something famous people and poor people have in common – but do keep in mind poor people don’t have media training, publicists and/or communications staff, or a cottage or private island to get away to.

My whole life I have watched wealthy people reward themselves with high fives and fist bumps for being badass. Mostly the stuff they do to prove how tough they are is harmless enough (though usually self-involved as fuck) but some of them go all out and hurt people. They decide to drive daddy’s car – or the one he bought them instead of providing them with a moral compass and his attention – at 270 km/hour through a city intersection. Usually when they break the rules they uphold class rules as articulated in a 1970’s song by Mungo Jerry “If her daddy is rich take her out for a meal, if her daddy is poor then do what you feel.” And of course there’s the wealthy right wing politicians with platforms that will devastate the poor and make the rich richer who come on stage all WWF style accompanied by rock anthems about ‘not backing down’ – from what no one knows.

At the harmless end was one of my best friends from the other side of the tracks in high school – the side where the chairs in the TV-free living room came with names – who dressed down while I dressed up. You can wear whatever you find in the bin if your hair cut costs $500 and your teeth were straightened by the most expensive orthodontist in the city.

I watched rich kids grow up into rich adults and get away with what I never could. I witnessed how it’s cute when they push the limits, brave when they speak out and badass when they say motherfucker.

I stopped swearing when I was around 18 mainly because if it’s your natural form of expression it is more difficult to not have it pop out when you would rather it not. Yelling ‘No fucking way!’ in celebration at the wrong time and place can be really fucked up. It’s only in recent years, since becoming disabled, unemployed and honestly having not a lot of fucks left for most people’s opinions about me (16-me still had hope and dreams) that I started cursing again. I curbed it again when I found myself in a committee meeting at City Hall, (where yes I do care what people think of me because I am there trying to change things for the better), dropping f bombs all over the fucking place.

Motherfucker is one that’s always bothered me a little if I stopped to think about it too much – which I mainly didn’t although I used it a lot. It’s one that has a certain satisfaction to it because of the number of syllables – like learning the names of dinosaurs when you are little. Like all curse words it has nuance. There’s the slow, deliberate Motherfucker. That’s not good – as in better run or block because I’m about to place my fist in your face. There’s the raise a pint to that Motherfucker. That’s a compliment. It’s all about context, timing, delivery.

So hi, former Prime Minister Kim Campbell if you’re reading this, calling that motherfucker a motherfucker was pretty motherfucking badass. 🍻 I hope if I’m ever applying for a job from one of your friends, they will remember I had your back when you said motherfucker and they’ll have mine when someone brings up this post.